


Can't Sleep (Hope I stay awake)

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bartender Bucky Barnes, Everyone's gay, Fluff, M/M, Palladium Poisoning, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark-centric, Tony's not a weapons manufacturer, smut maybe?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 20:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20627246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: AU where Tony's just a normal guy. A normal billionaire who inherited his father's company, but lives a semi-normal life. Besides the fact that he was hit by a grenade, had shrapnel inside him, got an arc reactor to keep the stuff out of his heart, etc. etc. Nightmares, pills, alcohol, one night stands, cuddling, yay!Or, the one where Bucky's a closet gay bartender, Tony falls in love with two Lokis, and Loki struggles to keep the whole thing up of being two people. It's quite hard to explain, really.





	Can't Sleep (Hope I stay awake)

**Author's Note:**

> Vanic x K. Flay- Can't Sleep is the song I put in there as the club music! It's EDM/pop, so I felt like it'd fit. Plus, I manipulated the lyrics a bit to fit with the story. I recommend listening to it while you read for a better experience.

Tony tips back his fourth drink, already grabbing a fifth. There’s something surreal about this club, the way the people move in perfect sync, like a giant puzzle that fits together just right. He doesn’t know why he comes here every other night, just to watch and feel like he’s floating and crashing down at the same time. Maybe it’s to avoid everyone questioning him, inquiring-  _ “Tony, did you sleep last night? Did you eat all your meals? Have any anxiety attacks? Take all your meds? Liver holding up with you? Don’t drink too much!” _ \- He didn’t need to be looked after. Tony gets it. He gets that he has a problem, okay, maybe  _ multiple  _ problems, but he could fix them. With time.

It wasn’t all his fault, really. Drinks were addicting, and when he couldn’t sleep- which was every night- they helped him in ways people couldn’t.

But drinks destroyed him more than they helped him back up. He drinks, pushes people away, regrets, drinks some more. A hypocrite, that’s what he was.

Tony sighs and closes his eyes, letting the music drown him. 

_ “Don't want to get up, I don't want to stop, I don't want to close my eyes,”  _ The song wasn’t what he normally listened to, but then again, the lyrics seemed to oddly fit with his situation. Tony opens his eyes slowly, meeting the eyes of a woman he’s never seen before. Not that he pays much attention to who he sees and who he doesn’t. Flowing straight black hair, striking green eyes, long pale legs. Dark, thick eyelashes. Eyes glittering like jewels in sunlight. Or moonlight. Moonlight suited her better.

_ “Missing cash, blacking out, heartless in a few ways,”  _ The woman glances at Tony with a sharp gaze, smirking slightly and downing her drink. Okay, Tony was captivated. That was definitely his type of girl.

_ “I get it, I get it, I'm living too hard and it's time that I stop it, but rising on up and then tumbling down well it's part of the process,”  _ Tony holds her gaze, finding her kind of… Mystical. Entrancing. Alluring.

_ “Long nights, no peace, I feel like everybody's eyes on me, don't ask me questions ‘cause I'm tired of confessing,”  _

“Fuck it,” He whispers up at the ceiling. Maybe there’s someone out there, monitoring his shitty life. Though they haven’t been doing such a good job lately. “She’s worth it.” Tony gets up from his seat abruptly, spilling a drink or two but slapping down a couple hundreds to make up for it. That woman was worth millions. And that was only from twenty-seven seconds of observing- yes- he counted.

“ _ Shit for luck, elbows shredded, I held things steady like too late,”  _ Tony makes his way to her, weaving through the convoluted path of strangers, determined.

_ “And I know that it's not much to say but I swear that I'd like to change,”  _ He’s standing in front of her, just staring.  _ Say something Tony,  _ he begs himself.  _ Gods, don’t embarrass yourself in front of this audience. Who’s one person. Fuck, fuck, fuck I really want her. Fuckkkkk.  _

_ “I'd rather not give a fuck and end up with some scars,”  _ She raises an eyebrow and cocks her head to the side, as if to convey a message.  _ What’s your move? _

_ “The night's just long enough for me to build it all and let it fall apart.”  _ He swallows, throat dry despite all those drinks. “What do you say to us getting outta here?” Tony asks. And he knows that’s the start of  _ something. _ And he really wants it to be.

* * *

“I don’t  _ know,  _ Buck. That’s the problem!” He waves his hands around wildly. He’s back at the club for the second night in a row. Not that that’s new.

Bucky sighs and pours Tony another drink. Just plain whiskey. “You’ve had plenty of one night stands before, are you sure you want to go after her?” 

“Yes.” Tony replies instantly, snatching the drink and gulping down half in one go. “She was- Buck, she was beautiful. And she didn’t even care about the scars, or my money, or the amount of alcohol everywhere, I could go on! Bucky, she’s  _ perfect. _ I have to have her.” 

Bucky rolls his eyes. “Sounds like you like her.” 

Tony takes a sip of his drink. He didn’t come today looking to get totally wasted, just mildly wasted. “Yeah, more than like.”

Bucky sighs again, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear neatly before furrowing his eyebrows for a moment. “Don’t you normally go for guys, though? Why the sudden change?” 

Tony blinks. “Uh, I don’t know,” he says dumbly. He hadn’t thought about it. “I mean, she just kinda attracted me. Guess I’m bi? Like, maybe I’d like her a teensy bit better if she had a dic-” 

He’s cut off with a groan from Bucky. Honestly, straight guys. They’ll never understand the magic of dicks. 

Tony rolls his eyes for a second time. “Fine, fine, I’ll stop. Gosh, no need to be dramatic about it.”

Bucky huffs. “I am  _ not _ being dramatic. And hold on for a sec, someone else needs a drink.” He wipes down the counter, sliding over to his next customer and leaving Tony to his thoughts.


End file.
